25 Years of Zumba!

A global Movement of COnfidence, Community, and JOY!

Spring break and the Tomb Sweeping long weekend have wrapped up, and many of us are looking for ways to keep that joyful spring in our step as we head back into our routines!

In fact, this whole month we are talking about searching out those bright sparks and seeds of joy so we can let them blossom into the kind of momentum that carries us toward greater wellbeing.

If you have ever made it to one of our classes, you know that just one look at the bright Zumbawear and my crazy facial expressions 😜, and one sound of the music and those hoots and hollers can instantly ignite that kind of joy!

This is especially worth celebrating now as this entire month Zumba is commemorating its 25th anniversary.

What’s funny is that the story of Zumba actually started as a "misstep." Creator Beto Perez accidentally forgot his regular music for an aerobics class and quickly had to  improvise using the salsa and merengue tapes he happened to have in his backpack. Instead of rehearsed routines, his students followed his lead and danced to easy, joyful steps. That one unexpected moment turned into a full global movement and one of the most recognizable fitness brands in the world.

My own story with Zumba a little over 15 years ago. At the time, I was nursing a broken heart and filled with questions about what I should be doing with my life and where I should be living in the world. A friend invited me to join a Zumba class at the gym I had previously only watched curiously through the door, too intimidated to go inside.

Jumping into that room felt like taking a dive into the unknown. Would I be able to keep up? Would I even understand the teacher's instructions in Chinese?

Then something amazing happened. The visual cues, the easy to follow patterns of movement, and the excitement of this huge classroom full of people were completely contagious.

Over the next few years, that feeling kept me coming back. It was a joyous place in a busy workweek, a difficult day, or my monotonous schedule. On the most exhausted, hardest, or messiest of days, it gave me an almost guaranteed dose of joy.

It provided a flood of endorphins and a surge of confidence that came from showing up for myself, choosing connection over isolation, and picking movement over stagnation. And today, that joy is amplified as I lead my own classes and help others take that time for themselves. 

Sometimes sparks of joy stem from the most unexpected, unplanned, and imperfect moments, just like they did for Beto. Other times, we know exactly where to go to get them time and again. For me, that is every single time I hit the dance floor!

This month I am celebrating 25 years of Zumba and the incredible impact it has had on my wellness, my career, and my community. Most importantly, I am celebrating it for bringing so many of you into my life!

To help you celebrate, I put together 25 classic Zumba tracks in a Spotify playlist. You have likely heard these if you have ever made it to class.

🎵Zumba 25! 🎵

Go on, hit play, and have your own joyful dance party at home! Then, join us in class or at home to keep the party going!

What was your first Zumba class like? How has it impacted your life? Head over to our Facebook group to share with us there this month!

Keep moving!

xx,

Katie